


The one he forgot

by Auduna_Druitt



Series: The many companions of James T. Kirk [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: After Khan, And Krall, Gen, Slight Tarsus aftermath, Tarsus IV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 13:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12434058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auduna_Druitt/pseuds/Auduna_Druitt
Summary: Jim's first crush and what happens after Tarsus.





	The one he forgot

Their family had been on Tarsus for a few months and Noah had already been bullied by some of the other kids. Abra, as her brother called her, had become his guardian while their parents were busy. She had just turned thirteen and they thought she was ready for the responsibility. The boy with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen had saved him from the bullies after he’d run off on her. 

He was looking at her funny and she worried she had dirt on her face or something. She’d recently discovered that boys weren’t quite as gross as she had originally thought and J.T. was particularly cute. His shaggy blonde hair falling over his crystal blue eyes and the way he smiled at her, she couldn’t help but smiles back at him. 

He’d helped her brother and seemed really sweet. When he offered to play with Noah she’d been excited that Noah had found a friend, even if he was older, she decided to tag along. J.T. didn’t seem to mind and his friend Charlie was really nice too. J.T. led them off into the woods and together they discovered a series of caves and tunnels. J.T. would hold her hand and help her through the dark while she kept an even tighter grip on Noah’s hand.  

She enjoyed their little picnics in the cave, the peace and quiet away from the crowded colony was really nice. She had always loved the woods at the back of the property back home. Noah didn’t remember, he’d been to young when they had to move. Abra noticed when the lunches started shrinking. She didn’t want to draw Noah’s attention to it, she knew he’d ask way too many questions and she didn’t have any answers. 

J.T. shared his lunches with Noah when he whined that he was still hungry. Abra had tried to share her own but J.T. said he wasn’t that hungry. She knew he was lying though. She was still hungry after her own lunch and the morning and evening meals weren’t much better. 

It wasn’t long before they were splitting a meal that would have been packed for one of them. J.T. gave up his lunch entirely so that they wouldn’t be as hungry.

After a month and a half of steadily decreasing rations, the announcement was made that there would be a selection of people gathered in the square. There was a rumor that there wasn’t enough food for everyone until the relief ships arrived. The rumor was also that those chosen by the governor were going to die. Abra and her parents stood on the doorstep of their house listening as the governor gave his speech.

“The revolution is successful. But survival depends on drastic measures. Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society. Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. Therefore, I have no alternative but to sentence you to death. Your execution is so ordered, signed Kodos, Governor of Tarsus IV.”

Abra watched her parents faces fall. They knew something. Something they weren’t telling her. She went inside and found Noah in his room. She sat with him until their parents came in. 

“Abra, you need to take Noah out for a walk. Why don’t you see if J.T. wants to play?” Her father asked pointedly. He knew that they went out to the woods almost every day and she had told him about the caves.

She shook her head. “Not without you. All together.”

Her mother sighed, “Abra, things are changing. You need to take your brother now. We’ll be alright…”

“All together.”

Her parents looked at each other and finally nodded. “Alright. All together.”

They quickly grabbed what little food they had and slipped out onto the crowded streets. Abra gripped tightly to her little brother’s hand. “Don’t let go Noah. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

He nodded as they ducked in and out of the crowd. Halfway across the courtyard his hand slipped from hers and he disappeared in the chaos. She led her parents to the cave the farthest up the hillside. They huddled in the dark cave, Abra crying in her mother’s arms. “I’m sorry! I should have held on tighter!”

“Sweetheart, It’s not your fault.”

“But I was responsible for him!”

A month after the massacre Abra was scavenging for food when she heard what sounded like a child crying quietly behind a large boulder. She cautiously approached and peered around the rock. “Noah?” she said, barely a whisper. 

The little boy looked up. “Noah! You’re alive! Mom and dad are going to be so happy to see you! Come on let’s take you back to them.” 

When help arrived at the colony a couple of weeks later there were rumours of a group of kids that had hidden in a cave. Noah said J.T. had saved him too but he’d gotten lost when he followed him into the woods the day Abra found him by the boulder. He’d talked non-stop about J.T. ever since. Abra had asked if she could see him but the Starfleet people wouldn’t let anyone near him or the other kids. They were still trying to find out if the children had any kin and until they were notified the only people allowed near the kids were medical personnel.

Not knowing what J.T.’s name was made it difficult to find him. If Starfleet knew they weren’t telling anyone. Their parents tried to find him, they really wanted to thank him for saving Noah and wanted to make sure he was alright. There was no way to know for sure, all they could do was hope. 

The year Noah graduated from high school was the first time they’d seen him since Tarsus. Abra was reading the news and saw his picture, she’d have recognized those bright blue eyes of his anywhere. She smiled, “I knew he’d do great things.”

After that she watched his career very closely, saving every mention of him she could find. Searching old records to see what he had done before his time in Starfleet only to find out he’d had a rough time. He wasn’t the only one that had struggled though. Noah still had the dreams but he was doing better. 

He enrolled in Starfleet academy and was there when the Vengeance crashed. Abra raced to the school to find him and wouldn’t let go once she did. So many died that day. 

Then she heard that the Enterprise had been involved and that the captain was seriously injured. She couldn’t get any more than that out of anyone. Even Noah didn’t know more. 

A friend at the hospital was able to tell her that Captain Kirk was one of her patients and that the doctors in charge were being very possessive over him and not allowing any visitors outside of the Enterprise crew. Abra managed to slip inside about a week later after “borrowing” her friend’s uniform. She just had to see him. 

He was pale as death and was still hooked up to a number of machines. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the forehead. “Thank you Jimmy. Thank you for saving Noah.” she whispered in his ear. Wiping a tear from her cheek she walked away.

In the next few years Abra married and Noah got transferred to a starbase. He loved his work with Starfleet. He loved helping people, meeting people from different planets, and getting to see things he’d never seen before. Abra and her husband had been there for about a week when things went wrong. A dark cloud appeared outside of the dome and alarms sounded. Everyone ran to secure areas and waited. 

Abra’s husband held her close. Her first instinct was to run for her brother and he was the only thing keeping her from running to him. A ship broke through into the square and people ran to help the crew. Rumours of the Enterprise rippled down the ranks and to the secure areas. Abra relaxed and looked up at her husband. “It’s him.”

He frowned and looked into her glistening eyes. “Him? Who?”

She smiled, “J.T. He’ll protect us. He always does.”

The next day Abra and Noah were walking to meet her husband for lunch when they passed a bar full of people. She stopped and walked over to the door. 

“Abra? What is it?” Noah asked her stepping up beside her. 

She smiled, “You remember the boy who saved your life on Tarsus?”

He frowned slightly, “Yeah, his name was…Jimmy.”

“He also went by J.T. but yes, Jimmy.” She nodded into the bar. “That’s him. The one with the blonde hair.”

“How do you know? I thought they kept his identity a secret?” 

“They did, but I’ll never forget what he looked like. He had the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

“And you’re sure that’s him?”

She nodded, “Positive.”

Noah grinned and stepped past her into the bar. She watched him walk up to Captain Kirk and the two men smiled. Noah turned and motioned her to come in. She hesitantly walked into the bar and over to them. “This is my sister.”

Jim smiled.

Oh that smile. The way his eyes lit up, the little creases, the smile that melted her heart. “Hello.”

“I’m really sorry but we just had to say hello to the famous James Kirk.”

“It’s no problem.”

Noah glanced at his sister and shook his head. “Honestly that’s not even really the reason I came in. I don’t know if you remember but we’ve met before.”

“Oh? Where did we meet?”

“Tarsus.”

Abra stared at him as he stilled and his face fell. Of course he remembered Tarsus. They all remembered Tarsus. Some of the detail may have become a bit blurred over the years but they all remember Tarsus.

A dark haired man walked over and clapped Jim on the back. “Who are your friends?”

“This is Lieutenant Davis.”

Leonard shook hands with Noah, “Nice to meet you. Are you stationed here?”

“Yes sir. My sister and I just wanted to come by and say hello to the captain.”

“Oh.” Jim turned slightly and Leonard looked at him. “My god man, you look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Jim nodded, “Bones, this–this is…” He took a deep breath and looked at Noah. “This is Noah.”

Leonard paused and looked at him. “Noah? I know that name. Jim, why do I know that name?”

“Tarsus.”

Leonard almost dropped the drink he was holding. “Noah?! THE Noah? The kid you lost?!”

Jim nodded. “Yeah…” he said quietly. 

Abra smiled and wrapped her arm around her brother. “My parents…OUR parents wanted to thank you for saving Noah but the Starfleet personnel wouldn’t let anyone near you. We looked for you for years…”

He put a hand up and shook his head. “I did what I had to do. I just wish I could have done more. I’m sorry I lost him that day….I thought he was dead…”

“I found him. Took him back to our parents.”

He gave her a little smile. “Thank you…I’m sorry I don’t know your name.”

Noah frowned, “This is Abra.”

“Thank you, Abra.”

“Jim!” 

He turned to the person calling his name. “I’m sorry, If you’ll excuse me.” He nodded to them and walked away. 

Leonard sighed. “So you’re Noah. He told me about you. In fact I think you’re the only one of his kids he ever talks about by name.”

“Really? Wait, his kids?”

Leonard smiled, “Yeah, He’s always called you that. Threw me at first too. He didn’t talk about Tarsus for years. I’d known him for about two years I think before he ever mentioned it. The nightmares came back and he had trouble sleeping for a while. I think talking about it did him some good but unfortunately it brought old wounds to the surface.”

“Did he ever mention anyone else?”

Leonard shook his head. “Don’t remember him mentioning anyone else by name. He had a friend that died.”

“Charlie, That was Charlie.” 

“He saved his friend’s little sister.”

Noah smiled, “I remember Oona.”

“And there was a girl.” Leonard shook his head. “All he remembered about her was how much my little Joanna looks like her.”

“Nothing else about her?” Noah asked glancing at Abra.

“Sorry, he’s been through a lot in the past few years. Nero, Harrison, Krall…and then there was everything that happened on Tarsus.”

“It’s understandable. I just wish he could remember her…”

Leonard looked from Noah to Abra. “I’m sorry he doesn’t remember you.”

 


End file.
